The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their third day of training camp in St. Joseph at Missouri Western State University. It was the Chiefs first practice in full pads and a record crowd of 6200 came out for American Family Fun Day. Click the links below to listen to post-practice audio from Andy Reid and Clark Hunt.
Category: Sports
Adams, Pierzynski lead St. Louis to 6-3 win against Cubs
CHICAGO (AP) — Once again, the Cardinals relied on Matt Adams’ clutch bat.
Adams drove in four runs, A.J. Pierzynski had three hits in his St. Louis debut and the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Saturday to stop a four-game skid.
Adams doubled sharply in the first inning, a one-hopper that bounced past first baseman Anthony Rizzo and into right field to score two runs. Adams’ two-run triple with two outs in the seventh made it 5-2.
“He was our guy today,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “If you look at when we started to gain some traction in our division, it’s when Matt started to go. Not to put the pressure on him, but he was the guy at the time and he’s continued to do that, to step up big for us.”
Helping out Adams was the 37-year-old Pierzynski, who signed with the Cardinals on Saturday, 10 days after he was released by Boston. St. Louis had been looking for a steady presence behind the plate since All-Star catcher Yadier Molina tore a ligament in his right thumb July 9.
Molina had surgery two days later and is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks.
“That was pretty much a cram session for A.J. there,” Matheny said. “He did a nice job coming in, obviously making an impact with the bat, but I felt like he had a nice feel for what Shelby (Miller) was doing.”
Miller returned to the Cardinals’ rotation and pitched effectively into the sixth inning.
The young right-hander began the game with three perfect innings and retired 16 of his first 18 batters. In his first start since being removed from the rotation July 10, Miller allowed two runs and three hits in 5⅔ innings. He had given up at least three runs in his previous five starts.
Randy Choate (2-2) got the last out of the sixth. Trevor Rosenthal worked around two hits in a scoreless ninth, earning his 31st save in 35 tries.
“When you get in a groove and you’re feeling pretty good, in a rhythm, you just keep going,” Miller said. “That’s kind of what I felt like I did today.”
Nate Schierholtz hit a solo shot for the Cubs in the sixth, tying it at 2. It was Schierholtz’s fourth career pinch-hit homer.
Rizzo drove in a run with a groundout in the fourth.
Cubs starter Jake Arrieta settled in after the two-run first inning, allowing just three baserunners the rest of the way. He thwarted Cardinals threats in the fourth and fifth, and a diving catch by left fielder Chris Coughlan helped Arrieta escape the sixth.
“He did it with not his best stuff, but he was still pretty effective,” Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. “That performance was probably indicative of how much he’s grown.”
With Arrieta out of the game, the Cardinals pulled back ahead in the seventh, scoring four runs against reliever James Russell (0-2). Jon Jay hit a leadoff single, advanced on a sacrifice and stole third before scoring the tiebreaking run on Matt Carpenter’s grounder.
Russell’s four earned runs allowed marked his worst outing since July 21, 2012, when he gave up six, also against the Cardinals.
Ryan Sweeney hit a leadoff homer against Pat Neshek in the eighth, his third home run of the season and second this series.
— Associated Press —
Baseball HOF cuts election eligibility to 10 years
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — The Baseball Hall of Fame has reduced the number of years a player can remain eligible to be voted in by the writers to 10 years from 15, giving Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens less time to be considered.
The Hall of Fame announced the changes Saturday. They are effective immediately and will be reflected in 2015 Hall of Fame voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Bonds and Clemens, record-breaking stars whose careers have been tainted by allegations of performance-enhancing drug use, have been on the ballot the last two years.
The BBWAA will allow three players — Don Mattingly, Lee Smith and Alan Trammell — who have been on the ballot between 10-15 years to complete a 15-year stay.
Mustangs defeat Sedalia to win 2014 MINK League Championship
The St. Joseph Mustangs won the 2014 MINK League Championship Friday night at Phil Welch Stadium as they defeated Sedalia 4-1 in game three of the MINK Championship series.
St. Joe’s summer college baseball team wins the series two games to one after losing the opener at Sedalia Wednesday. It’s the third MINK Leauge title in four years for the Mustangs and they’ve qualified for the championship bracket of the NBC World Series in Wichita for the fourth time in their six-year history.
St. Joseph broke a scoreless tie Friday night in the third inning with a two-out RBI infield single by Lucas Powers, but Sedalia came back to tie the game with a run of their own in the fourth inning.
The Mustangs then scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to extend their lead. St. Joe scored on a balk in the fifth, Tanner Lubach drove in a run as he grounded into a fielders choice in the sixth inning and Kyle Richards had a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
That was more than enough for starting pitcher Brandon Baker. The sophomore-to-be at Missouri went 7.2 innings and he allowed just one run on five hits. Baker struck out two and walked two as he improves to 5-3 this summer.
Powers, Joe Koerper and Zac Johnson had two hits each in the game.
The Mustangs are now off for a week as the first week of the NBC World Series is underway, but St. Joseph is off until the championship bracket begins next Friday. Sedalia has also qualified by winning the South Division but they have to turn around and play Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. inside Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
The Mustangs are now 40-16 this season and won’t know who or when they play at the NBC World Series until later in the week.
Butler’s pinch-hit HR lifts Royals over Indians
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pinch-hitter Billy Butler’s two-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning sent the Kansas City Royals over the Cleveland Indians 6-4 Friday night for their fourth straight win.
Carlos Santana homered twice for the Indians, who have lost five of six.
Butler connected against John Axford, sending a drive over the Royals’ bullpen in left field. Butler was hitting just .200 in his previous 20 games with two RBIs.
The Royals won a game of matchup moves. After Salvador Perez singled with one out in the eighth off Carlos Carrasco (3-4), reliever Nick Hagadone entered and got the second out.
Butler batted for Raul Ibanez and homered on Axford’s second pitch.
Earlier in the game, Ibanez at 42 drove in a run when became the oldest player to hit a triple in Royals’ history. Ibanez scored on the play when second baseman Jason Kipnis made a wild relay throw.
Kelvin Herrera (2-2) pitched a scoreless eighth and Aaron Crow worked around a leadoff double in the ninth to earn his second save in four chances.
Royals closer Greg Holland, who had pitched in the three previous games, was unavailable.
Perez, who had three hits, and Mike Moustakas had back-to-back home runs to open the second. It was the second time this season Perez and Moustakas hit consecutive homers, having also done it April 23 at Cleveland.
Royals rookie Yordano Ventura, tagged for six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings in his previous start at Boston, departed after 6 1/3 innings. He gave up three earned runs and struck out seven.
Santana hit a solo homer in the fourth and a two-run shot in the sixth.
Indians right-hander Josh Tomlin, who was 1-5 in his previous seven starts, was pulled after 5 1/3 innings.
— Associated Press —
Griffon baseball adds four transfers to 2014-2015 recruiting class
Missouri Western baseball coach Buzz Verduzco announces the signing of four more student-athletes for the 2015 season.
Orencio Fisher of Lee’s Summit, Mo. transfers from Maple Woods Community College in Kansas City, Mo. while Anthony Martinez Jr. of Egg Harbor Township, NJ transfers from Monroe College in New Rochelle, NY, Ryan De Gregorio of Woodside, Calif. transfers from Canada College in Redwood City, Calif. and Richard Ward of Walnut Shade, Mo. transfers from Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan. They will join Richard Peoples of Webb City, Mo., David Anderson of Fairmount, Ind., Corbin Duffy of Everett, Wash., David Glaude of Quebec City, Quebec, Michael Calimeno of Brooklyn, N.Y. and Brandon Downs from Phoenix, Ariz. on next years squad.
Orencio Fisher is a 5-9 second baseman from Lee’s Summit, Mo. and transfers from Maple Woods Community College in Kansas City, Mo. He played his high school baseball at Lee’s Summit West. This past season he hit .360 with 13 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 23 stolen bases. In high school he was named All-Conference and as a senior he hit .370 with four doubles, one home run and 16 stolen bases. He is the sun of Tanisha Artis and Donnie Guy and plans on majoring in sports management.
“Orencio, is one of the most talented infielders in this year’s class,” stated coach Verduzco. “A talented base stealer and outstanding contact hitter who also has the ability for the long ball on occasion. We are blessed to have him part of our program.”
Anthony Martinez Jr. is a 5-9 pitcher from Egg Harbor Township, NJ and transfers from Monroe College in New Rochelle, NY. He played his high school baseball at Holy Spirit HS. He was very successful at Monroe finishing his career with a 11-4 overall record and a 2.67 ERA. In 2013 he was named Pitcher of the Year and broke the record for most wins in a season with seven. In high school he was a two time first team All-Conference selection finishing with a 13-5 overall record with a 2.32 ERA.
He is the son of Anthony and Maritza Martinez and plans on majoring in sports management.
“AJ, without question, will be the pitcher who will be called upon for the Friday night start,” commented coach Verduzco. “A fierce competitor who comes from Monroe College in NY, one of the most respected, and successful Junior Colleges in the Northeast. His numbers were outstanding during his time at Monroe.”
Ryan De Gregorio is a 5-11 pitcher from Woodside, Calif. and transfers from Canada College in Redwood City, Calif. He played his high school baseball at Saint Francis HS in Mountain View, Calif. While at Canada College He was selected honorable mention Coast Pacific All-Conference Team. He had .84 ERA in 32.1 innings. In high school he was a two time WCAL Honorable Mention selection and finished with a 11-2 record which included going 7-0 with a 0.6 ERA as a junior. He is the son of Paul and Kris and plans on majoring in physical education/health and exercise science.
“Ryan DeGregorio will be very a very consistent competitor for the Griffons this season,” said coach Verduzco. “Was a standout pitcher in Northern CA the last two seasons and we expect him to hit the ground running this coming year at MWSU.”
Richard Ward is a 6-2 outfielder from Walnut Shade, Mo. and transfers from Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan. He played his high school baseball at Branson HS in Branson, Mo. Ward took a medical redshirt during his one season at Johnson County. Johnson County won the 2013 Regional Championship which advanced them to the Junior College World Series where they finished 9th. While in high school he was a first team All-Conference, All-District and All-Tri-Lakes Region selection as a senior. He helped his team to the District Championship as a senior and as junior he was named second team All-Conference and helped his squad to the conference championship. As a senior he hit .433 with 4 home runs, 5 doubles, 5 triples and 22 RBI with a .790 slugging percentage. He is also a solid student earning the Scholar Athlete award at Johnson County. He is the son of Lauri and Barry Ward and is undecided on a major at MWSU.
“Ricky, is a very talented player who will compete for a starting position in our outfield this coming season,” added coach Verduzco. “Blessed with tremendous speed he has the ability to change the game with his talent. Had to sit out last season at JCCC for medical reasons. We expect him to be ready to go this coming fall.”
— MWSU Sports Information —
Cards blow lead at Chicago, drop fourth straight game
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs don’t have the look of a team more interested in draft position than on-field success.
One day after the Central Division cellar-dwellers couldn’t have looked worse in a 13-3 embarrassment against the lowly San Diego Padres, they showed some grit in a come-from-behind, 7-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, who suffered their fourth consecutive loss on Friday.
A persistent wind at their backs, the division rivals treated the largest crowd at Wrigley Field this season to five home runs and 23 hits.
“A good team win,” said manager Rick Renteria, whose club trailed 3-0 before even getting a chance to bat. “The crowd was buzzing all day. It was a pretty neat environment. Obviously, the fans were into it.”
Luis Valbuena hit a decisive two-run homer in the seventh to decide the see-saw affair.
Kevin Siegrist (1-2) hit Anthony Rizzo with a full-count pitch to start the inning. One batter later, Valbuena launched the first pitch into the center-field bleachers, his first homer against a left-hander in 37 at-bats this season.
“I was looking for a fastball, and I got a fastball right there,” Valbuena said. “That’s why I got aggressive.”
“We had the matchups we wanted right there,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “We wanted (a left-hander) in that situation, in that part of the lineup, and a lefty ended up getting him.”
The Cardinals tied the score 5-5 on solo homers by Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday in the fifth inning. Pinch-hitter Oscar Taveras singled to break the tie in the sixth, but the lead was short-lived.
Justin Grimm (3-2) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Hector Rondon retired the side in the ninth for his 12th save in 15 chances.
Cubs starter Travis Wood did well to survive five innings after a rocky start. He allowed five runs — two earned — and seven hits with one walk.
Wood aided his cause with a solo homer off Joe Kelly in the fourth inning, his third of the season. He became the first Cubs pitcher since Carlos Zambrano (2009) with at least 10 RBIs in a season.
“They fought off a lot of pitches and made me work,” Wood said. “I was only able to go five, but luckily, I was able to keep it close and we were able to pull it out.”
Ryan Sweeney’s three-run homer pulled Chicago even at 3-3 in the second inning. Kelly had not allowed an earned run in 18 1/3 innings against the Cubs before then.
One inning later, Sweeney singled home Valbuena, who had walked, for a 4-3 lead.
Kelly lasted 4 2/3 innings allowing eight hits and two walks.
St. Louis struck first with three unearned three runs in the opening inning, when Wood was forced to throw 32 pitches largely because of two errors behind him.
Carpenter and Holliday singled, then rookie second baseman Arismendy Alcantara threw away a potential double-play grounder that allowed a run to score.
One out later, Jon Jay hit a two-run double, and when left fielder Chris Coghlan allowed the ball to get past him, the batter advanced to third base on the second error of the inning.
— Associated Press —
American Family Fun Day set for Saturday at Chiefs Training Camp
The Kansas City Chiefs and Missouri Western State University will again host “American Family” Fun Day at Chiefs Training Camp presented by Mosaic Life Care on Saturday, July 26, on the campus of Missouri Western in St. Joseph. There will be a number of activities for fans of all ages to enjoy throughout the day as Head Coach Andy Reid’s team holds an 8:15 a.m. practice Saturday on the Missouri Western practice fields.
The Chiefs, along with players and coaches from the Missouri Western State University Griffons football team will facilitate a Gatorade Junior Training camp from 11 a.m. to noon at Spratt Stadium. The event, filled on a first come, first serve basis, is limited to 250 participants. The camp is designed for boys and girls in grades three through eight to learn and practice football skills through multiple drills and teach them about the importance of hydration as part of American Family Fun Day. Multiple Gatorade hydration stations will also be available for camp participants to utilize as well.
To participate, a waiver must be completed on-site for every participant by either a parent or guardian. The first 100 camp participants will receive two complimentary tickets to the Thursday, Aug. 7 preseason game when the Chiefs take on the Cincinnati Bengals at 7 p.m. at Arrowhead Stadium. In addition, Chiefs Cheerleaders and KC Wolf will make appearances during the youth camp.
Coca-Cola, the Official Soft Drink of the Kansas City Chiefs, will be present on-site as part of its “Share A Coke” campaign. A Share A Coke kiosk will be present, along with Coca-Cola Share Leaders who will assist fans in creating a customized Coke, Diet Coke, or Coke Zero can with their name or the name of a friend or loved one. After receiving their cans, fans will be encouraged to take a photo in front of a Share A Coke backdrop and share it with the hashtag #ShareACoke.
Sprint, the Official Wireless Service Provider of the Kansas City Chiefs, will have retail staff on-site throughout practice on Saturday with Sprint’s Mobile Marketing Vehicle to demonstrate the latest devices from Sprint, including the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One Harmon Kardon edition, and iPhone 5S. Chiefs fans can demo the devices, ask questions about the devices, as well as ask questions about Sprint service plans and accessories. Select items will also be available for purchase on-site.
Following the conclusion of practice, the entire Chiefs roster will participate in a team autograph session around the perimeter of the practice fields.
Gates for the 8:15 a.m. practice open at 7:45 a.m. with parking lots opening at 6:45 a.m. Like all other practices, parking will be $5. There is also a $5 admission fee for practice on American Family Fun Day. Children ages 3 and under are free.
— Chiefs Media Relations —
Mustangs stave off elimination, rally past Sedalia to force Game 3
The St. Joseph Mustangs rallied from a 3-0 deficit Thursday night in Game 2 of the MINK League Championship Series to defeat Sedalia 6-4 inside Phil Welch Stadium.
With the win, St. Joe’s summer college baseball team forces a winner-take-all Game 3 against the Bombers Friday night at Phil Welch. The Mustangs will be going for their third MINK League title in four seasons.
Sedalia took control of the Game 2 early as they scored two runs in the first inning and added one more in the second to take a 3-0 lead after just an inning and a half.
St. Joseph responded quickly as they tied the game in the second with three runs of their own. Zac Johnson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Evan McDonald had an RBI ground out and Lucas Powers capped off the inning with a two-out RBI single.
The Bombers regained the lead with one run in the fifth inning, but the Mustangs responded again as they tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a Tanner Lubach RBI single.
St. Joe then took the lead for the good in the sixth inning as Joe Koerper hit a two-out single to score McDonald.
Koerper led the Mustangs’ 12-hit attack as he finished 5-for-5 with four singles, one double and an RBI. No other St. Joseph batter had a muilt-hit game but every Mustang had a base hit in the game except for Kyle Richards.
McDonald had two RBI and Brandon Huske scored two runs.
Trent Hill (4-0) earned the win in relief as he worked the final 3.2 innings, allowing only one hit and no runs. He struck out four and walked one.
Jake Jones started for St. Joe but lasted just 4.2 innings and he allowed three earned runs and seven hits.
The Mustangs are now 39-16 this season and they’ll play the deciding Game 3 of the series Friday at 7:00 p.m. inside Phil Welch Stadium. The winner will capture the MINK League championship and will earn a bye into the championship bracket of the NBC World Series. The runner-up will still go to the NBC in Wichita but they’ll begin play on Saturday night.
Game 3 of the Mustangs and Sedalia Bombers will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 AM and here on StJosephPost.com.
Manager Matt Johnson says its a big win after falling behind early
Manager Matt Johnson says he and his team are excited to play for MINK League title
Audio from Chiefs Training Camp at Missouri Western – Thursday, July 24
The Kansas City Chiefs held their first training camp practice at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph Thursday. Click the links below to listen to interviews and audio from coaches and players after practice.